Adam Voges and Xavier Doherty call it a day

Two Australian cricketers announced their decision to end their professional cricketing journeys simultaneously today (March 15). Adam Voges who recently retired from international cricket played his last first-class match for Western Australia against Victoria. Doherty, on the other hand, has been out of the national team since 2015 and thus made the decision.

At 37, age is not on his side and Voges after pondering for quite a bit took the call. “It’s something I’ve been wrestling with and considering for a while but I feel now is the right time. This season has been particularly physically and mentally tough, after being left out of the Test team and no longer having the carrot of international cricket to strive for.” Voges said.

Having played 201 first-class matches in his career that spanned 15 years the right-hander scored 13390 runs with 32 centuries and 68 half century. His average of 46.65 talks about his consistency though way below his Test average of 61.87 that is second only to the great Donald Bradman. Talking about his first-class retirement Voges added, “After 15 years of first-class cricket, my mind and body have been pushed to their limit. I have given my all to WA cricket.”

He has been out of favour from the Australian selectors ever since the Test against South Africa and they have moved on having opted to back the younger players. That prompted Voges to end his international as well as first-class stint though he would continue to feature in the Big Bash League as well as for his English county Middlesex.

34-year-old Xavier Doherty had similar reasons – with the emergence of Steve O’Keefe, Michael Swepson, Adam Zampa and other spinners in Australian cricket along with Nathan Lyon he hasn’t been a part of the team for almost 2 years and that prompted him to end his career with 75 international wickets to his name.

The left-arm spinner played 71 FC matches for Tasmania and has 163 successes to his name. Like Voges, Doherty will also play the BBL.